DAZN Group claims new frontier for casual betting landscape

Through this strategic partnership and others, DAZN says it will become the first truly immersive sports entertainment ecosystem in which fans can watch live and non-live content, consume news and highlights, socialise and bet.

Under the agreement, which DAZN believes will signal the future of the casual betting landscape, a new group of companies has been established to operate a betting service under the DAZN BET brand headquartered in Gibraltar. To be developed over the next few years, it will see the development of what is claimed as the world’s first service combining over-the-top (OTT) live sports viewing and betting, creating a more engaging and interactive experience for fans.

DAZN BET will use the DAZN customer base and brand under a licensing agreement with DAZN Group and Pragmatic Group will supply the underlying platform and content and be responsible for the ongoing product development. DAZN says it chose Pragmatic Group, a leading platform technology and content provider for the betting and gaming industry, as its partner due to its “innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.”

The service is expected to soft launch a beta product to coincide with the start of the new football season.

Commenting on the deal, Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group, said: “The convergence of sports media and betting is the future. This historic partnership brings together the leading sports media company and a technology partner who is committed to developing innovative experiences for fans. It underscores DAZN’s commitment to revitalise the sports viewing experience by offering a broader spectrum of digital entertainment for fans.”

Ashley Lang, CEO of Pragmatic Solutions, added, “It’s an honour for us to partner with DAZN. We know that fans want more integrated, immersive, and interactive experiences, and through our exclusive partnership with DAZN, we can deliver this.”

Scotland May Ban Greyhound Racing to Protect the Animals

Campaigners in Scotland are renewing calls to ban greyhound racing in the country, citing the detrimental impact of the races on animal health and the lack of proper control, Sky News reported.

Doping of Animals and Lack of Regulation

Activists from Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation (SAGE) referred to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee to issue a complete ban on greyhound racing due to the lack of regulation to protect the animals from injuries and doping.

According to them, drug testing is conducted at the country’s regulated track Shawfield Stadium in Rutherglen near Glasgow but in less than 2% of the races.

Tests at the racetrack in the period from 2018 to 2019 revealed worrying results as 13 of the dogs were found positive for doping, with five of them with Class A drug cocaine but doping was often not revealed by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) for several months and was going unreported to police and the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), signaling non-functioning regulation.

According to GBGB’s statistics, there were more than 3,000 deaths and an estimated 18,345 dogs injured from racing in the UK between 2017 and 2020 but as there was no regulation at Scotland’s other greyhound racetrack, Thornton in Kirkcaldy, Fife, the real death toll of dogs was higher. The lack of a vet at the racetrack also means if a dog suffers a catastrophic injury, it cannot be euthanized immediately.

The petition to put an end for good to greyhound racing in Scotland received more than 130,000 signatures and was backed by Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell who openly stated the greyhound racing industry was “beyond reform.”

Ruskell further claimed that the duty placed on animal owners under The Animal Welfare Act 2006 to protect their animals from suffering did not extend far enough to prevent harm caused to greyhounds.

Animal Welfare Is ‘Paramount’

GBGB’s chief executive Mark Bird outlined greyhounds require much more in terms of protection as compared to domestic dogs in the UK and stated that the welfare of the animals is a paramount objective in licensed greyhound racing.

He further noted that each greyhound is being checked by a vet before and after the race and their trainers’ kennels are being subjected to regular “inspections by vets, stipendiary stewards and independent auditors” to ensure compliance with welfare standards.

There are also strict anti-doping policies in place and any violations could result in a lifetime ban for trainers while all instances are being reported to the appropriate authorities, Bird concluded.

Members of the committee will seek clarity on regulation enforcement from relevant stakeholders, including the Animal Welfare Commission, before taking the petition forward.

Sisal May Join Camelot in Contesting UKGC Lottery Operator Selection Process

A month has passed since Allwyn Entertainment has been awarded a license to operate the National Lottery, promising sweeping changes in the sector, and making sure that the lottery will be “resuscitated” and enjoy some significant advantages. Allwyn will reduce the minimum lottery ticket cost to £1 and add more games while ensuring better profitability and more money committed to good causes.

The bid is now contested by at least one entity with Camelot, the incumbent, revealing that it would seek to challenge the selection process and argue that the UKGC has not been entirely fair in pronouncing Allwyn Entertainment as the winner. Camelot has been the incumbent since the first lottery selection process in 1994 but this may now come to an end.

Now, the other bidder in the process, Sisal, may be looking to challenge the decision, joining a potential lawsuit by Camelot lodged with the High Court. Camelot contends that the UKGC has favored Allwyn Entertainment awarding it the new contract beginning in 2024. The regulator has denied wrongdoing and issued a rebuttal arguing that its process has been based on merit only.

However, Sisal and Camelot tend to disagree it seems, as a slight change in the tender rules may now give the pair legal grounds to challenge the outcome of the bid. Sisal has made no official move just yet, but it may try to do so. Flutter Entertainment, the company that acquired sisal for a total of £1.6 billion ($2.10 billion) in 2021, is eager to make its latest asset have a shot at one of the biggest lottery markets, hence why it might choose to challenge the move.

The UKGC has said that it’s confident that its selection process was based on transparent criteria that guided the entire process and expressed regret that Camelot had chosen to settle matters in a court of law. The regulator further added that it had been able to apply all prerequisites to ensure a level playing field. Therefore, its decision was predicated based on the individual merit of individual companies.

The UKGC may be challenged with some success, though, as it has just transpired over the weekend that the watchdog has taken money from good cause charities to meet a budget deficit.